Full Circle
by GaleSynch
Summary: AR: A circle has no end, war and hate had no end either; Sasuke and Naruto embodied the never-ending sequence. So why was it so much of a surprise when the clan heirs found themselves in the bodies of infants in two different, warring clans in the time before Konoha's birth, and at the start of everything? NaruSasu/FemSasu. Time-travel.
1. Rebirth and Brothers

**Full Circle**

_written by Galesynch_

**Prologue: Rebirth.**

Uchiha Sasuki was not one to believe in religious things so she had not much expectations after her life ended (she really preferred to die on the battlefield, a death befitting of a shinobi instead of old age or disease). To her, all that mattered was the present (she had to do something or her life would mean nothing) and past (she was always caught up in it).

Getting revenge had always been her goal, and she had died by it. For Itachi, for Konoha, for Naruto as well. She had to get revenge, she once directed her anger at Itachi then at Konoha then the culprit was revealed in the Fourth Great Shinobi War: Uchiha Madara.

Bastards of bastards.

Had she the chance, she would've killed him. But she couldn't, she died. She could still remember the acute feeling, the excruciating pain as Madara's fist ripped into her chest; the sensation lasted for eternity for her even as the darkness claimed her.

And now, here she was, floating, blind in a void.

Was this the afterlife? Or was it her own hell?

Kami knows that she'd always hated and feared the dark; eternal void and darkness meant something similar to blindness and the lost of sight had always been the Uchihas greatest fear, as it was to all eye-doujutsu wielders.

_I don't want to be here, someone please, take me away!_

...

...

...

_If given the chance, would you do things better?_

_I wish I was at the start of everything, that way, I can make things better. Not necessarily good, but better._

_Ah... what I wouldn't give to turn back time._

_Turn... back time?_

_What did you get into your brain now, dope?_

_N-nothing. Just... hey, no matter what happens, you know I'll always love you right?_

_Hn. You better not be lying._

_I'll be with you to the very end!_

**That's enough, don't you think?**

...

...

...

With an ear-splitting scream, Sasuki's world bled into colors, blurry and undistinguished. Finally, light flooded her world! But she still couldn't see very well and her ears were being deafened by screaming, which annoying infant was screaming now? Why would there be an infant in the middle of war—

Wait. The screams and cries... it couldn't be from her could it? Yes, the Uchiha realized this as she felt herself being jostled and nestled into a pair of arms.

"Shut up, child."

Voices, clearer than her sight filled her mind. Struggling and very much confused, Sasuki tried her best to quiet down, going against her instincts. She squinted, tried to widen her eyes to see better but to no avail, she could make out nothing. Her instincts bid her to tremble then fall into tears again.

She wouldn't give in. That would be embarrassing. She was Uchiha Sasuki, damn it! The Avenger, the Last Uchiha and people holding these titles wouldn't be bawling like a baby! Even though she seemed to be one now...

Fuck. What was going on.

"Madara, hold your sister." Sasuki's world swam as the rough arms holding her moved her into another's embrace; these hands holding her were small, most likely a child's, but was experienced in handling babies it seemed. She craned her neck, frustrated as to why she couldn't move as well as she liked, and then, the universe's idea of joke revealed itself.

Before her, when her vision finally cleared, was Uchiha Madara. Her greatest and most hated enemy.

This time, she really did scream.

**-full circle-**

Red, blood red, then light.

If this was death, Senju Naruto found it to be both fascinating and terrifying. He'd just executed the jutsu, the jutsu to turn back time and he'd poured the very last of his and Kurama's chakra into it, had it not worked? Bitter, overwhelming, crushing anguish sadness and pain filled Naruto's senses.

So much that he had to scream to let it all out.

Cheers, exclamation of joy followed his anguished and tearful scream. He was hurt, why were people celebrating his pain? Then, a sentence that baffled him even more.

"Yatta! It's a successful birth, Okaa-san, you did it!"

Naruto stiffened, stopping mid-cry as arms envelop him, jostling him wildly and lifting him up and down. Abruptly, no arms came to support him as he fell further down than before. He screamed.

"Nii-san, you idiot!"

"Hashirama, get out, now!"

"But—"

"_Out_."

Resting in a pair of smaller arms but much more secure, Naruto heard the sound of a boy grumbling and moving out of the room. Even from afar, he could feel the depression. He squinted to focus his vision but colors of white and red swam into his vision before replaced by a sterner and dark expression of a grown man.

"He'd be a fine shinobi... look, he has marks just like Hashirama's." A calloused hand stroked his cheek, not loving but more of a calculating touch, like the man was trying to determine how much he was worth.

Naruto sniffled, disliking the man's poisonous chakra, suffocating him at an infant stage. Oh, yes, Naruto's mind rejoiced as he realized he was in an infant's body. His jutsu worked. _Take that Madara! Let's see how you survive when we struck you at the core! _Naruto giggled maliciously, imagining Madara's look of shock as he found himself fading with the changes happening in the past and him unable to stop his dissipating existence.

The jutsu had been a wide-ranged one, Naruto had dragged all his surviving friends, the original Konoha Nine including Sai and Team Gai and even Sasuki's freaky Team Taka or something and the Sand Siblings. The chances of all of them arriving in this era was slim, but to Naruto, as long as Sasuki made it (and he knew she would because he was holding her hand when he cast the jutsu), it was okay, as long as his precious lover was with him, everything would be okay.

And when Naruto giggled (rather maliciously from an infant), it wasn't because his mother tickled his stomach to elicit a response.

**-full circle-**

* * *

**Chapter One: Brothers**

**Five-Months Old.**

In this world (is it the same as her old one or a completely new dimension?), this new life (she still wasn't sure she should be grateful or disgusted but she was sure Naruto would _pay_), Sasuki didn't have one brother. She had _five_. And not one of them was Itachi, or was like him. Sasuki decided that she hated them all.

Especially Madara. Especially her _dearest_ oldest brother (she hadn't seen hide nor hair of her other brothers but she had heard of them once).

Sasuki swore she was going to murder that bastard Naruto—a close runner-up in her To-Kill List with Madara taking first place—for letting her get born as Madara's sister. But, a tactical part of her not wholly concentrated on revenge, noted that being his sister would give her more leeway, around her, he'd lower his guard down more and she'd be able to strike. It wasn't cowardly at all.

If it was Naruto, she was pretty sure he'd declare an honorable fight to the death. She knew it was stupid. Which meant that the task of killing Madara was hers to take and complete. She'd do it with a jolly smile. That bastard was going down.

It wasn't easy, being handled by her brothers instead of her mother. The woman who gave birth to her in this world wasn't present, the one time she'd seen the Uchiha woman was after her birth, gazing down at her with a weak smile but so full of love that Sasuki almost felt sorry for killing the infant's soul and replacing it with her own.

Had she been a better person, she would've felt sorry. But as it was, Uchiha Sasuki was a cold-hearted woman who cared only for her survival and her goals. She'd killed infants directly, with her own hands before anyway. And this was indirectly, the one directly responsible was Naruto.

Another question nagged her: why was Madara and the other maids the ones who took care of her? The one who fed her, changed her whenever she made a mess of herself and all sorts. Whenever it was Madara's shift, she swore to make it as hard as possible. She fussed and cried and screamed constantly whenever he was intruding on her. Yes, it was humiliating and underhanded to resort to such tactics, but until she could fight and build her body for battle, there was nothing else she could so.

Madara grumbled all the time, but he never hit her or even yell at her.

Sasuki was starting to assume that he was an impostor, one peaceful and boring evening, when he suddenly stormed into the room where they kept her crib in, his Sharingan spinning and full of hate and anguish; someone must've died. Sasuki would've sneered in hate if she could but as it was, she prepared herself to scream if he tried something against her.

Madara instantly recognized the expression on her face. "You!" he snarled with all the hate an eight-year-old could muster; which was a lot if Sasuki said so herself. "You demon child!" Sasuki stared at him, forgetting to make a fuss to trouble him when she heard him. The hell? He was the demon and here he was accusing_ her_? Did that bastard had a death-wish or something? "You _killed_ Okaa-san! I hate you! _I hate you so damn much_!"

His chakra spiked and this time, he really brought his fist down.

Sasuki would've defended herself if she could, but just barely, she managed to roll out of the way from the fist that was directed at her face. Uchiha Madara was already an asshole, but he wanted to_ hit his own baby sister?_! Well, technically, she wasn't his sister but still... What sort of sick fuck was she dealing with?

The horror must've been evident of her face, as it was on Madara's. He paled rapidly, glancing at his hands. "W-what have I tried to do?"

_Other than to kill me? Apparently I murdered our mother_, Sasuke thought sneeringly. She felt a strange nostalgia washing over her, even in this world, she'd never ever again experience the love of a mother. But it was fitting, the hardened shinobi of her said, since the woman who gave birth to her here was not Uchiha Mikoto, she would never be Sasuki's mother anyway. Uchiha Mikoto was her mother, and she was dead; Sasuki's mother was dead, no one could ever dream of replacing her.

"_Imouto_... what have I done?" Abruptly, much to her distress (to an onlooker anyway, Sasuki was, in truth calculating the many ways she could kill Madara for that punch, she will _never_ forget this), she found herself in his arms. It was severely disconcerting that Madara was holding her, hugging her and apologizing profusely, proclaiming that he loved her and would do anything to protect her.

Huh, so Madara's insanity started as a child.

She had a lunatic for an older brother, wow. But, for just a moment, his proclamation of love warmed her icy and jaded heart, even if just for a moment.

She'd rather have Hashirama or even Tobirama as an older brother. Naruto was lucky.

**-full circle-**

Naruto, in this life, had the perfect life.

A stern father who cared in his own jaded way, brothers who totally loved him and played with him regardless of how busy they were, and a mother who nurtured him. He soaked it all in eagerly, in his past life, he had no parents; Namikaze-Senju Minato and Uzumaki Kushina died heroes in the battle against Kurama, he felt neither the warmth or love of a family and he took it all in greedily. Sure, he had his Obaa-chan but she came into his life when he was eight or so and then took him away, it wasn't too late to bond but Naruto still felt disappointed and he knew she did too; she'd never be able to see his first smile, hear his first peal of laughter, hear his first word or anything of the sort.

But now, his life was different in the good sort of way.

He had three older brothers, and if he heard right, had one little brother on the way.

When he was strong enough to move around by his own, he did just that, toddling around with either his brothers or mother to watch over him.

Strange, the older two brothers' names were quite familiar: Hashirama and Tobirama, he wondered why and where he had heard them before? Maybe they would someday grow up to be famous shinobis and had something to do with Konoha? Disregarding those unimportant thoughts, Naruto thought about his brothers.

There was one about three years older, closest to him in age, Kawarama resembled their mother greatly, along with Tobirama; both had spiky silvery hair though Kawa's eyes were as dark as their father's while Tobi's were crimson like their mom's. He was nice, not as nice as Hashi-nii of course, but definitely better than Tobi.

Sometimes, he found his brothers' difference disconcerting, they acted like they were all from different families with their differences. And sometimes, more often than not, being looked after by them was tiring.

Hashi-nii played far too much, and wanted him to play even more when his infant body could no longer keep up, lacking the pros of a Jinchuriki. It was fun at first that his oldest brother would come and wake him up from his nap and take him away to play. Which resulted in scoldings and beatings from their very stern father who said that an infant needs all the rest he could get to grow up strong.

Tobi-nii was too stern, too quiet which didn't suit Naruto's nature. When Naruto tried to play or even made the slightest of mistakes, like drooling, he was scolded and earned himself a lecture. This brother always taught Naruto and Kawa-nii to read, how to hold a shuriken right and how to throw it right.

Kawa-nii was the loudest among them, even worse than Naruto who was a sixteen-year-old in the body of a five-months old. He was three but he demanded attention like crazy, screaming and crying. He was mischievous too, which earned him scoldings from their father too. He also clung to Naruto and babbled most of the time, demanding Naruto's presence everywhere and how he should be like him.

Naruto prayed that his little brother would be normal, sweet-tempered, and mild. All the things his current older brothers were not. He wondered about Sasuki's situation, she had to have brothers too didn't she?

He sighed for the umpteenth time as Tobi-nii entered the room, carrying Kawa under one arm like some sort of football (and Naruto knew this game hadn't been invented yet, when he could walk properly, he'd show them how to play -ttebayo!) and a bunch of reading scrolls in the other.

Naruto regarded him and his scrolls with distaste, making haste to crawl away but with quick strides, the seven-year-old had blocked his path. Red eyes narrowed down at him, looking worse than Sasuki's Sharingan. "Oh no, you don't. Time to study." Naruto whinged but Tobirama ushered him away from the garden.

Man, he'd drawn the short end of the stick.

He'd rather have Madara as an older brother. Sasuki was lucky.

...

**Sixth Months Old**

...

In the span of weeks after Madara's outburst, Sasuki decided she liked Norio the best.

Norio was her second oldest brother, closest in age to Madara and was the one most like Itachi. Quiet, not speaking unless spoken too but she always saw the gentleness in his eyes. He was mature, much more so than Madara and he was even more of a prodigy than Madara.

Or, maybe, that thought was just stemmed from her distaste of Madara.

Norio taught her how to read and do things all by herself, basically, he was like her mother in this world. He never pushed her or talk baby-talk which irked her greatly.

This habit of baby-talking was the twins' doing. Izuna got the message once she spat in his face, but Kizuna continued annoying her. She disliked them the moment she saw how they acted. The other brother was Tsubasa, the one she also liked but he was far too protective even at such a young age. Combining him and Norio, she would get a perfect Itachi.

Almost. Because like her mother, no one could ever replace Itachi. Itachi who would slaughter their own clan and protect her, waited for her, urged her on and accepted her hate in place of love. Disgrace in place of honor, there was no one in this world like him.

She doubted any of her brothers (especially Madara) would ever do what Itachi did to protect her.

"It's disconcerting," Her sire was saying as he studied her, visage frowning and dark. "She shows no mannerisms of a normal infant. She doesn't babble nor does she talk."

"What are you implying, Chichi?" asked Norio rather calmly, burgundy eyes curious.

"She might... have some disabilities," At his sons' blank stares, Tajima sighed, elaborating, "She can't function like a normal person."

Sasuki was about to protest indignantly, she could so speak, but her tactical mind noted that if they thought she was a disabled child, she wouldn't be like the other women in this clan, stuck doing house chores and attending the men. If they believed her to be a mute, or a mentally challenged kid... that could actually be a great advantage. Surely they'd leave her alone if she proved herself to be useless to them.

**-full circle-**

"Your brother," started Butsuma Senju, a canyon creasing his brows as he sat at the dining table along with his sons and wife (he loved her for the fact that she managed to produce so many sons and all are capable, he could see). "is worrying me."

Naruto perked up, stopping his drooling all over Tobirama who was glaring at him, when he noticed his father's eyes on him and how his mother was smoothing his bangs and saving Tobirama from drowning in his drool. He stared at his father. "Da'?"

Butsuma's eyes narrowed. "Don't speak like that, pronounce the words properly, child. It is not befitting for a shinobi to have speech impediment." Naruto hummed noncommittally. But Tobirama not so subtly kicked him, a warning not to piss his father off anymore. It was one of his father's bad habit to slap people when they did something wrong, along with his underestimation of women; Naruto could just imagine Sasuki and Sakura or even Tenten and Temari storming up to his father and punch him for such a comment.

"Hai, Chichi."

"Back to the problem," Hashirama said cheerfully. "So what is Naru-chan's problem?" He patted the hair of golden halo for emphasis. Naruto scowled at the suffix but one glare from his father silenced whatever comment at the tip of his tongue.

"He's too advanced, don't you think?"

"You think it's wrong to be advancing? I wouldn't have known," pointed out Hashirama with a smile on his face as he plucked a piece of pork from the ready dish. He couldn't care less what his father had to say now. They rarely got the chance to eat meat, just vegetables from what his Mokuton can make, and he was going to savor the taste of meat as much as possible.

"Hashirama! Show some respect!"

"I do respect you, just, maybe you would wanna work out on your anger issues."

Naruto grinned while the rest of the family sighed, shaking their head and shielding their eyes when Butsuma reached over and slapped Hashirama on the mouth for his blatant disrespect again. It was an amusing sight, and when Naruto's observant eyes caught sight of the older man quirking his lips, he found it amusing too.

He was sure Sasuki was having as much fun. After all, the Uchiha Clan in this time wasn't dead yet. And there got to be some closet humor or coolness in the Uchihas right?

**-full circle-**

In contrary to Naruto's positive opinion, Sasuki was not having a fun time. When she did nothing to oppose her father's opinion of her being a disabled child, the fact spread among the clansmen like wildfire. Instantly, everyone watched out for her; every single fucking second someone was breathing down her neck, she couldn't spend her time to herself alone, waking or sleeping.

Tsubasa was the worst. He insisted he sleep with her, or she sleep with him so that he could protect her. In his poor and confused three-year-old mind, he managed to discern that somehow, his sister would be unable to defend herself and thus, needed him.

Sometimes—which was almost every time—Madara or Norio would poke their head in to check on them or tuck them in before bed. Madara made it clear that Sasuki would not be going anywhere without anyone looking and breathing down her neck. Apparently, the medical knowledge in this world was very poor as the doctor labeled her a patient of an unknown possibly new ailment. Useless. Truly, the people in the warring era were idiots in the aspects of medic; Sasuki saw many die from injuries that could easily be cured in her own timeline.

So this was the time before the advent of Chiyo of the Sand or Tsunade of the Leaf... well, no wonder so many people died. She grimaced at the thought that Naruto would be advanced enough in medical stuff, thus, lessening the deaths of the Senju Clan. But what could she do? She had close to none knowledge about healing, she specifically recruited Karin so that she had a medic nin nearby. Where was her team and allies anyway?

Suigetsu would most likely be with the Houzuki Clan in this era or back in their own era dying in war, or already under the effects of the Moon Eye Plan. Karin was the same, either with Uzumaki Clan or dead somewhere. The same with the rest of the attempting time-travelers. What about the clanless ones like Juugo, Sakura and Sai?

Sasuki didn't particularly care, unlike Naruto who must've been worrying his head off, she was just slightly concerned about Juugo. Kami knows he could barely control himself from killing.

A barely audible sigh escaped her lips. She would've done it loudly had Madara not been staring holes at her back as he practiced his shuriken crap. Sasuki glanced back at him with barely concealed distaste, approaching him but stopping at a fair distance and out of line from the pointy objects he was throwing.

He glanced at her, patting the spot next to him. "Sit," he said as he threw a hail of shurikens, all of them embedding on the post, bull's eye. "or, you don't understand an order like that?" He smirked meanly but it slipped when she stared at him. "Hey... don't tell you're like this when I tried to hit you back when you're in the crib." Now, Madara really looked concerned and guilty. Sasuki gloated, anything that inflicted Madara pain was her joy. "Did I hit you? Were you so shocked you lost your voice?" he placed a concerned hand on her head, ruffling her spiky black-blue hair. "I'm sorry."

Sasuki nearly gaped. Had she been a lesser person, perhaps she would have. Here was Uchiha _fucking_ Madara apologizing to _her_, of all people! Shit, the world was really falling apart. They really need to hurry and get stronger and save the fucking world. Sasuki glanced contemplatively at the kunai laid by Madara's other side instead, reaching over his lap and taking one, purposefully cutting his skin when he made to grab it from her.

She nearly smirk when she saw his disgruntled expression.

"Give it back, Suki," he ordered, using the annoying pet name Tsubasa had given her, due to his poor pronunciation. "I mean it. Don't make me mad." Had Sasuki wanted to retort, she would've sneered and offer him a few vulgar remarks, dripping with venom and sarcasm. When he lunged, she pushed herself back with little grace in her stupid toddler body. She threw the kunai, missing its mark by a few centimeters.

Madara's eyes widened.

"Suki... you can... how did you?" He looked frustrated and had no little amount of jealousy displayed on his face. "Even I couldn't do that at your age! Did you learn by watching us train?" He looked expectantly at her, she stared back with a deadpanned expression until he face-palmed. "Oh, right, I forgot you're mute."

"...'Dara."

The boy glanced up sharply, his eyes widened in amazement. "What did you just say?"

Sasuki smirked, this time when she saw Madara's flabbergasted expression but she remained silent, choosing instead to finger his kunais and shurikens, she really need to get her accuracy under control. Soon, she assured herself, soon she'd be back at her old level, or maybe even stronger.

She couldn't wait to show her true colors, couldn't wait for the time to come where she'd slit Madara's throat and watch in pleasure as his Sharingan died along with his vibrant red eyes. Thinking about her supposed elder brother's death at her hands left Sasuki in a cheerful mood.

And when she turned back to see Madara, she offered him a bloodthirsty smile full of promises to kill.

Someday, she'd make him pay.

**-full circle-**

Uchiha Madara frowned, nursing the migraine in his head.

It was ridiculous, he was now an Edo Tensei summon, he shouldn't be experiencing such as pain. He rubbed his forehead, feeling the pain ringing behind his powerful eyes. Something tingled in his chest, a spark of warmth he hadn't felt in years. When was the last time he felt warmth? Felt joy and secure? Right, he recalled, in the past, back where he was with his siblings.

His brothers were easy to take care of but his mute, fey, sister always gave him multitude of troubles—

Stop. He blinked rapidly, dread rising in his chest, he didn't have a sister. Where did that thought come from?

He sprang to his feet, facing Obito who was eyeing the horizon, where the Shinobi Allied Forces had retreated into the night. "Where are the lost main forces? That Senju brat and my descendant?"

"That's the thing, you see," responded the scarred man. "They're gone. Along with the Kazekage and all the prized shinobis of their villages. I don't suppose they ran away." Something flickered in his eyes. "There's something going on. Something... foreboding."

"Elaborate."

"I don't recall meeting you in a dank cave," replied Obito, irritated and less than a tad frustrated with his memory predicament. He was so sure he'd met this creepy, shinigami reaper of Uchihas but his memory spotted a blank. "Yes, I remember when you were old but... I met you in a much more pleasant and brighter place than a cave. And my situation wasn't as painful as before. I bet that Kaka-teme had something to do with—"

He stopped himself, faintly noting that Madara was staring at him in what could be considered shock. What he'd called his old teammate had not been said in insult, more like a form of endearment from the days long past.

"Don't tell me they developed some sort of time-travel jutsu," spat Obito angrily, unable to believe that he'd be changed, gone was this him who'd finally realized the truth of life and back to that hopeless, idiotic boy with dreams of being Hokage and still saw the world in a bright light, still thought he was capable of changing things for the better. "No!"

"We have to do something."

"I surmise you have a plan?"

Madara smirked, confidence regaining in his eyes. "If I play the role of a loving brother, it wouldn't be long before one of them spills the secret. And when I have that memory in place," he tapped his forehead to emphasis. "I'll change it."

"Worst comes to worst, we'll be there to confront them."

**-full circle-**

* * *

**Author's Note:** As most of you have voted, Full Circle is posted first, so I hope you guys enjoy it but the poll is still on, which story next you want to read?

Also, I was wondering whether or not I would make Sasuki and Madara share a relation full of animosity or slowly, grudgingly, come to care about one another. Your opinion matters so _don't be shy to voice this out._

Yeah, I know this prologue and first chap sounds barely serious and is quite humorous—well, this is the part before all the tragedy begins and I would like to concentrate on character development first.

And lastly, I know some of you are very touchy and prickly about the names. Like, Sasuki and Sasuke, some of you complained in my other FemSasu fic (where I named FemSasu Sasuke), that Sasuke is too masculine of a name. And some of you dislike replacing Sasuke's name even if he was turned into a girl.

I have a solution already, so don't bother pointing this out. If you check out my website, I'm sure you'd know what solution I'm offering.

Also, I'm **in need** of a **beta reader**. Any volunteers?

Right, my very long (the longest I've ever written) author note will end here. **Remember to review**, yeah!


	2. Sibling Spat

**Full Circle**

_written by GaleSynch_

**Chapter Two: Sibling Spat**

Three months into pretending to be a disabled child, Sasuki was already starting to regret having started the farce in the first place. Sasuki recoiled, stumbling back and nearly landing on her back, as she tried to escape the poison that was the herbalist's medicine—it was supposed to cure her muteness, but she figured it'd make her lose her voice instead.

She shook her head, batting the caretaker's hand away.

The woman—a nice woman by the name Uchiha Ayame—sighed, shaking her head. Her brown curls—she had to be half-Uchiha, no real Uchiha sport any other hair color than black—falling into her face as she did so.

"She's stubborn," the woman remarked, looking for help at Sasuki's brothers.

Tsubasa frowned, confused. "Wh' wouldn' s' wan' i'?"

Sasuki could not understand the boy's baby-talk. But, Norio the Translator, understood; he nodded as if he'd just gotten a better understanding of the world. "Everyone hates medicines." Her second oldest brother said solemnly. "I don't like them too." He approached her, gently placing his head on her head of raven spikes, flattening them on her head. "But, it's for your sake, Suki, you have to drink it. How else are we going to hear your beautiful voice?"

_Once I kill Madara_, thought Sasuki, scowling at him the infamous Uchiha scowl (version 2.5, even though everyone seemed stuck at 1.6 here) which turned into an outright glare when she saw Madara elbowing his way to her. He snatched the spoon from the older woman, somehow managing to not spill a bit of it, and advanced on her threateningly.

"Open your mouth," he snapped none-too-gently. Sasuki scowled, crawling away but he scrambled after her. "Drink it," he ordered.

"Madara—"

"That's '_Onii-sama_' to you, Norio."

"Fine. _Onii-sama_," Norio stressed the word, coating it with sarcasm. "would you please stop glaring at her? She's a baby, how can she understand you?"

"You're the one who don't understand!" Norio shot Madara a challenging look—though on a seven-year-old, it looked more like a pout. "She spoke. She called my name! Hey, she said my name—that's her first word!"

"Uh-_huh_." Clearly, Norio thought his older brother was delusional.

Izuna, so silent Sasuki had nearly forgotten him, stared at his older brothers. "So... who doesn't understand exactly?"

"Him!"

"How dare _you_—"

Rolling her eyes, Sasuki stumbled, cursed herself and made haste to move away. She really had enough of these boys. Itachi was so quiet, so wonderfully awesome in his calmness, he had never made such noise. He was a prodigy, but Norio and Madara were considered prodigies too, yet they were loud. Combined, almost louder than Naruto.

Which reminded her: the Uchiha Clan was quite the rowdy bunch.

Unlike the rumors that had spread far and wide, her clan wasn't as jaded or as evil as everyone had thought—and expected, especially the Uchiha Clan from the warring eras. Heck, they were not as uptight as the Uchihas from _her_ time, but she supposed it was acceptable since her Uchiha Clan was facing oppression, and this current clan weren't under the same threat.

Being less jaded did not mean that they were less assholes.

Being older in mentality had its perks, Sasuki had just realized, just noticed, how everyone had sticks up their asses—when she was originally a child, she remembered thinking of how awesome they were, now, she had to rectify her opinion. And she was constantly looked down upon, being a female and to be a disabled one to top it all off! Well, had she not been the clan head's daughter, she would've been disowned and killed (to put her out of her misery, they say but in truth, it's just getting rid of a burden, they already have enough mouth to feed as it is, they need no more).

And that wasn't the least of her problems. She had to deal with human emotions, with her time filled with nothing but wandering around and watching her brothers train, she had a lot of time to ponder. She did and it hurt. She'd never realized just how much she missed Naruto and Itachi.

Well, the ache for Itachi had always been there—stored in a dark part of her heart, but whenever she looked at Norio who resembled her older brother, she felt as if someone had just ran a Chidori through her chest. To put it bluntly, it fucking hurts. Naruto, she had wanted to severe their bonds and yet he had chased after her relentlessly for three years. She barely had time to think about him when she was out running after Itachi's shadow, after revenge; she never gave a thought about what he would've felt when she left.

Was this how he felt? Yet, he stilled smiled, still ran after her even after becoming Hokage.

He was different from her, smiling through the pain and miseries. If she'd been in his position, running after him, she would've given up long ago and scream, break, fall apart.

He was brave. He was strong.

She cursed, bringing her hands up to her face, her infant body shedding tears for the pain of the mind _far too old to be in this body_; that harsh truth rang through her small sniffles and her brothers' bickering.

He was strong. Stronger than her. She hated that fact: that he had the ability to move on and she couldn't. Selfishly, she wished him to never be able to completely move on. If he did, he might just forget her, forget about his promise to bring her back and wait for her no matter how long and hard it was, and she didn't want that. Better he linger in sadness, hate and anger than to forget.

If it was up to her, she'd never let him forget.

"Hey..." Sasuki blinked the tears away rapidly—she really hated being in a body she could barely control—and glanced up into Madara's concerned faces; her other brothers crowded around him, staring down at her with the same worried frown. Kizuna reached over and patted her head, mumbling nonsense. "It's okay. We won't make you drink it if you really don't want to..." he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, growling a _shut up_ when Norio coughed something that sounded suspiciously like _yeah, right_.

"But Madara-sama—"

"I'm the clan heir. And I decree—"

"You do know what it means right?"

"Shut up, Norio—as I was saying, she doesn't need it. Take it away. Let me deal with father's... uh..."

"Hissy fit."

"Temper tantrum."

"...Hm... what's that word I heard Hikaku said? Uh, yeah—bitchiness!"

"_Kizuna-sama_!"

"What they said," Madara growled, ushering the maidservant out of the room. He glanced at his brothers before he left, pointing at his sole sister. "Make her stop crying. I'll get in trouble if _chichiue_ sees." He sniffed. "She doesn't look as cute when she cries like that."

Sasuki choked. That boy had to be an impostor! Where was the real Madara who only spoke of death to her? Maybe this was just a boy with the same name? The Madara she knew and fought would never say such crappy, sappy lines.

She wished she had Naruto's life with the Senjus right now. She'd always heard of the Shodai's and Nidai's supreme calmness and charisma, Naruto would surely mature a lot if he grew up with them in this time.

**-full circle-**

In contrary to Sasuki's belief...

"_Nii-san_, higher!"

"You got it, _otouto_—whee! Oh, crap, Tobi—out of the way!"

"Wha—Gah!—Hashirama!"

Naruto groaned, picking himself up; his toddler body bid him a few sniffles when stinging pain erupted from his scrapped knee. The small sounds he made drew his brothers' attention. Tobirama shot Hashirama a filthy glare before he approached Naruto and crouched to examine the wound. He shot another angry look at his downcast older brother, before directing another mild glare at him.

"Hashi-nii may be at fault, but you are too, Naruto. You know he's always like this, why are you still playing with him? I thought you're smarter than this." Naruto winced as Tobi-nii angrily cleaned his wound, applying ointment (which a very depressed Hashirama tried to pass on but Tobirama was too pissed to accept it properly, snatching it with more force than necessary out of the older boy's hand; Naruto swore he saw his oldest brother wiping away tears which looked comical) on his wounded part and bandaged it.

"See what you've done? What the both of you have done?" Tobirama gestured angrily to Naruto's scrapped knee and the scattered scrolls, books and papers on the ground. "What on earth possessed you two to play in the hallway? You, act your real age. And you," he turned to Naruto, crimson eyes narrowed. "should start growing up—and don't give me that look! Why don't you two sit down and repent?"

Huffing, the silver-haired boy stomp off to where his precious reading material were lying on the ground, dirtied and out of their neat little pile he'd spent hours arranging and cleaning. All his hard work down the drain. He crouched, pulling them all in a messy stack and picking the scrolls scattered.

"Let me help," offered a guilty Hashirama, shuffling a few piece of paper.

Tobi-nii glared coldly, slapping the brunette's hand away. "No thank you. You'll only make things worse."

"Tobi... I'm sorry. I promise we won't play in the hallway again."

The ruby-eyed boy gave a defeated sigh. "That's what you said with the dining room incident." He leveled Hashirama a scathing look. "Until you grow up, I don't think I'll let Naruto or Kawa spend so much time in your company."

"You spend the most time with me!"

"Which makes me who I am now, I've learned. You are a terrible influence on Naruto and Kawa—you insufferable, irresponsible elder brother—"

"You meanie!" yelled Hashirama, speeding off, rubbing his eyes furiously. "I don't ever want to see your face again!"

"Oh yeah?" Tobirama, ever the challenging one, yelled at Hashirama's fading back. "Well neither do I! Good riddance!" Naruto gaped at his normally quiet brother yell a few other insults loudly at the brunette's back. He breathed heavily, dumping all that he was carrying and storm into the house, enraged.

Naruto gulped, torn between running after Hashi-nii or confronting Tobi-nii. Deciding that it'd only be fair if he chose neither, he sullenly gathered his older brother's belongings and placing them before the door to the room he'd entered to vent his anger. Sulking about until he stumbled upon his mother, he didn't hesitate to flung himself at her.

Senju Oka stared down at her son in mild surprise, smiling softly as he babbled his story, placing a gentle hand on his head of silvery spikes. "Ah, Tobi-kun and Hashi-kun argued again?"

He stiffened. " 'Gain?"

Oka chuckled. "It happens from time to time. Tobi-kun has always been very strict like Butsuma-sama is. Hashi-kun has always been a free spirit, like me I suppose. And you're just like me too." She winked. "But despite all the differences, I know all of you will grow up to be great men, make a name for yourselves and do our clan proud." She wrapped her long and slender arms around her youngest son, lowering her head to his ear, close enough to whisper her secret thoughts. "But no matter what... all of you will still be my little boys. Strong or weak, old or young, you're still all so little in my eyes."

Naruto blushed. "_Okaa-san_!" he protested. He was a big boy, thank you very much. But deep down, despite the normal boyish reaction, he felt touched, felt like crying. He wondered if Uzumaki Kushina, his original mother would whisper such words to him. Would she comfort him like this too?

He snuggled into his mother's embrace and decided that, yes, Uzumaki Kushina would. But from what he'd heard about her personality, he figured that she'd yell it out to the whole world to hear instead of keeping it a secret between them.

"Oh, and, Tobi-kun, you can come out now. There's nothing to hide." Naruto blinked wide blue eyes—his parents said he'd inherited those eyes from his maternal grandparents—before he turned to face his older brother who sported a slight blush, sheepish and disgruntled. His mother was impressive, he couldn't even sense his older brother—either Tobirama was good or he was the one getting rusty. "Come here."

Tobirama approached hesitantly, plopping down beside his mother, looking he wanted to snuggle close—it was cold, winter had already visited the Land of Fire; it was a weather Tobi absolutely hated, this was the Land of _Fire_ and yet it _snowed_?—to his mother and just enjoy the rare moment he could show weakness and drop his cold front.

He grunted when his mother ran a hand through his hair. Naruto sighed contentedly, enjoying the silence descending the three.

"It's snowing, why don't you go get Hashirama?" Naruto blinked up at Oka's wistful expression; he couldn't help the dread rising in his gut when he saw the sad face, by her side, Tobirama frowned too, as if he had detected something. "Go on, you two."

"Why?" whined Naruto even though Tobirama obediently stood, and started to pull him away. "I wanna stay here!"

A strained smile was his answer. "Please?"

Naruto stopped resisting, allowing his older brother to drag him out by the arm. Tobirama shot his little brother a look. "Stay—" he cut himself off when Naruto raised his arms in the universal language of children. "Fine," he sighed, deciding that he'd frighten his younger brother enough and it was time to rebuild bridges burnt. "Get on."

Snuggling into his older brother's strong figure, Naruto had never felt safer. Having a family was truly the best thing, Naruto decided, wrapping his arms around Tobirama. Heh, despite his harsh words and demeanor, Tobi-nii wasn't all that bad—

"Seeing as it's going to be a long way, knowing your stupid older brother," Tobirama said, breaking the silence as he leaped into the trees, and starting a brisk pace. "why don't I teach you more about molding chakra?"

Naruto sighed. Maybe he need to revise his point.

**-full circle-**

Madara's jaw ached.

His heart did too, mainly because of the guilt eating away at his heart and the fear hadn't ebb completely. Madara didn't fear death per se, he just feared when his precious people were close to death. He shuddered, but the cold wasn't entirely the reason for the shudder. He ran a hand through his spiky hair, recalling the event earlier that had made his blood freeze.

His baby sister had nearly drowned. And she hadn't been able to scream for help because she was mute. And her speechless condition had been his fault.

All his fault, he thought mournfully, what would his mother think of him now? It was a well-kept secret that Uchiha Madara was quite, maybe, a mama's boy—and it wasn't because he listened to her every word, did as told by her, always told her everything, and he certainly never whined about his problems and go to her for comfort. It was the truth: he didn't.

"Suki?" he called softly, turning around to make sure his silent sister was still there.

Sasuki stared back at him sullenly, wrapping her arms around herself, her teeth chattering.

The time-traveler's mind was going a million miles an hour. Why, her mind screamed. Why did he do it? He had no reason to care really, what business of his if she drowned? In truth, Sasuki was just trying to test her body's endurance and her motor ability. Did she count on her body freezing up like that? No, she truly hadn't expected her body to freeze up so suddenly like that...

**xXx**

_Her head went under, too surprised to struggle, she expected to drown and maybe end of her life until she felt someone pull her up. Trembling, teeth chattering from the winter cold, she'd come face to face with her oldest brother who looked as terrified as she did, if not, more._

_Tsubasa's screams brought the whole clan running._

_Sasuki was gasping for breath, unable to unclench her frozen fingers from Madara's yukata, her teeth chattering too much to speak—which was a fortunate thing as at that time, she'd forgotten all about her 'disability' problem. She hadn't even minded—nor did she bother cursing internally—when she found herself clinging onto Madara who'd retreated out of the pool she'd willingly (better not let anyone know about this little fact) fallen in._

_"Aniki! Imouto!" Norio skidded to a halt, scanned his siblings for any injury before he threw his arms around them, squashing Sasuki against them but he was pulled away shortly by their father who was frowning heavily, rubbing his forehead as if he wanted to nurse his headache or just storm away and leave them to deal with this problem themselves._

_"What happened?" he demanded in his usual grave voice._

_"She—" Tsubasa hiccuped, rubbing his dark purplish orbs. "She nearly drowned."_

_Tajima's face seemed even more severe. He felt like sighing but that would mean showing weakness and to top it all off, half his clan was here; what would they think if they saw their leader showing weakness? Power meant everything to Uchihas, it represented their clan and everything their ancestors' had stood for. Showing weakness was a big no-no, especially for the clan head and his children. Speaking of children, he frowned, making a mental note to teach Madara and his siblings to conceal their emotions better and to keep their sister out of the way._

_She was starting to get troublesome. He was starting to wonder if he'd been wrong in vehemently protesting her death. She was a new case, and a rather embarrassing one. The Uchiha were perfect, to have a disabled child was unheard of. Even more embarrassing, the child was of the clan head's line! Why though, what had caused it? Sasuki, his daughter, was a new case and she brought about a whole load of migraines._

_At first, with the calculating way she studied and absorbed her surroundings, he thought she was some sort of prodigy, or someone who had experiences with life, reincarnated with past memories (which would me mystical miracle), but then their clan medic had declared her a lost-case and she was a challenged-child instead of what Tajima had assumed her to be._

_Oh the disappointment. The only thing keeping her alive had to be because she was the splitting image of his wife, a sliver of him had, perhaps and reluctantly, loved Kotone enough that he wanted the last remnants of her to live. He couldn't bring himself to order her death despite himself._

_"Sasuki, what is your problem exactly?" He wished he could cure her. Letting her run around like a boy (which would be disgraceful for a girl) was way better than a mute, fey, odd and unpredictable burden._

_"My fault," Madara blurted out, face whiter in the weather and the cold. "I—I tried to hit her when she was in her crib... and I think—"_

_Tajima, had he been a lesser man, would've gaped at his openly, or gasp in horror—like the Uchiha women were doing. "You hit her when she was a baby?" he echoed incredulously, furiously scouring his memories for a bruise when Sasuki was an infant. He came up with a blank, but not because he wasn't observant enough. But because he never spent his time around her, never bothered to see when she first walked or did anything else. He hadn't even heard her voice and had thought her to be abnormally silent until one of the women addressed the problem._

_He felt like shit, what sort of father _was_ he?_

_"I—ungh!"_

_The nine-year-old made a noise of pain, unable to suppress it when his little brother's fist connected with his jaw, rather painfully he might add. Madara glared at Norio, and he would've sprang to his feet and punched his brother back but the weight in his lap reminded him that if he stood abruptly, his little sister would just fall off._

_"You're crazy, Aniki! What had she ever done to you?!"_

_Tajima pinched the bridge of his nose, motioning for his clansmen to leave. He didn't need them to be witnesses to some brotherly feud and this family drama, he would prefer to deal with this behind closed doors. Casting them odd and disapproving glances, the clansmen left though little Hikaku had to be towed away (the boy had wanted to play with Izuna and Kizuna but his mother had firmly carried him away, saying that it was not the right time to be playing; Tajima suspected that the woman just didn't want any son of his who would hit his own sibling around her son)._

_"She killed Okaa-san!"_

_That was crossing the line—though it had something to do with the fact that Tajima had thought along the same lines and he was exceedingly uncomfortable to know he had that much similarities to his impulsive (and borderline failure) son. Tajima decided to interfere when Norio looked like he might start frothing at the mouth—he hoped _he_ didn't look as crazy as that when he was angry._

_"Stop," he said sternly, placing a hand on Norio and pulling him away from his older brother who was trembling. Tajima, very wisely picked his daughter up before Madara lost it and took it out on her. He fumbled, though he hoped his sons hadn't noticed, from the lack of experience. He had never carried an infant before—well, he had, briefly, passed his infant sons off to people, he had never tried holding them for a long period of time._

_He turned to his twin sons who were watching, gobsmacked at the drama unfolding before their eyes._

_"Izuna, Kizuna, back to your studies." Receiving twin pouts that he ignored, the kids shuffled away, chattering about their day. He was so quiet he forgot his other son's presence, Tsubasa sidled up to his side, reaching up to Sasuki who's red eyes—_

_Red eyes?_

_Tajima tilted his daughter's chin up sharply, he inspected the three tomoes spinning diligently in his daughter's eyes. His grip on her jaw tightened momentarily. Tajima knew he was a flawed man despite what he liked to think. He was considered a prodigy, crowned heir even though he was the youngest of his siblings, and it was because he had activated his Sharingan at the tender age of five, gained two tomoes instantly and had been the youngest Uchiha to do so._

_Jealousy bubbled up before he forcefully suppressed it; his rival was Butsuma, not his own daughter damn it! There was nothing to be jealous of his daughter about. But... at the age of three, Sharingan gained with three tomoes... and she was a disabled girl to top it all off! The council would be in an uproar._

_Disappointment registered much later as he set his daughter down on her two feet. Tsubasa cuddled up to her, wrapping his arms around her (he was a very touchy person, rare for an Uchiha) and hugging her to preserve the warmth. He was severely disappointed in his sons, all of which had yet to gain their Sharingan, despite Norio's prodigious ability and Madara's determination._

_The twins and Madara weren't doing too bad either in their training. Tsubasa was a huge disappointment (for an Uchiha), and Tajima had pressured him, but the young boy didn't seem to give a damn, choosing to cuddle up and play with his siblings instead. He wished he knew what the young boy was thinking. Heck, _he_ wanted to live in his son's carefree world._

_"Norio, stop. I believe Madara has learned his lesson." Madara looked at him gratefully for the help but he didn't return the look as she gestured for his sons to look into their sister's eyes. "There's a good out of this. Look into her eyes."_

_Madara made a strangled sound. "Sharingan?" he whispered in disbelief, warring with himself between the hate, jealousy and anger and pride._

_Tajima knew and was similar with his son enough to know what Madara was feeling. It was unnerving of how similar Madara was to him, especially how their ability to be inferior to anyone. Even their own kin._

_"Madara, I still am severely disappointed in you," he said coldly, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth, he didn't feel any pity when his oldest son flinched. "I thought I had taught you how to control your emotions. Don't let hate overwhelm you. It's true hate is our greatest weapon when we're in control, but if you let hate rule you, you're done for. You made your sister an invalid mute, I hope you will repent." His eyes narrowed. "I may not be a master of psychology, but I suppose that if Sasuki spends more time with the person who terrified her in the first place, and learns to trust again, I believe she can be cured."_

That_, was complete and utter bullshit. Tajima just wanted Madara to seriously learn his lesson and never try anything funny against his siblings again. In truth, the man himself knew nothing about the human mind. When it came to the fragile mind of the humans, the Yamanakas were the experts but unfortunately, the Uchiha and Yamanaka weren't on the best of terms (those blonde mind-readers were rather close with the Senjus, unfortunately) so they couldn't exactly ask for help._

_"As punishment, Madara, I want you to go to the mountains where the Naka river flows from. As proof that you've been there, bring back the herbs growing there." That was also bullshit. The Uchiha had recently ran out of herbs and since the ninja courier was ill... and Madara needed some form of punishment... well, he supposed this was what one called killing two birds with one stone. "Go, I don't want to see any of you right now. Norio, Tsubasa, back to training and Sasuki... do whatever you wish. No, wait, don't even step out of the house, get in, girl, you're with me." He added the last part quickly when he saw his daughter turn to the lake—again, had she no fear or instincts?_

_Sasuki shot him a look of pure disgust as he towed her back into the house, Norio followed obediently after throwing one last glare at his older brother. Tsubasa patted his brother's arm gently before he ran after his father but Sasuki squirmed, stretching her thin fingers—it couldn't be help that she suffered from hunger and undernourishment since birth, their land weren't actually rich with food—to Madara._

_"I'll take her," Tajima's oldest son said quickly. He frowned, considering the pros and cons before he decided that he had nothing to lose to let the siblings spend their time together. What did Madara plan to do anyway? Not like he could get killed with his sister along, and if Sasuki did die when Madara vent his anger on her... well, Tajima had nothing to lose but the life of a daughter (who had yet to prove herself useful). _

_"Fine," he said, pushing Sasuki into Madara's chest before he departed, pulling Norio and Tsubasa back when they made to follow Madara._

_"He'll hurt her," Norio insisted, squirming in protest._

_"I wanna follow Aniki and Imotou!" Tsubasa whined, pulling on Tajima's hand and digging his heels on the wooden floor._

_Tajima growled; what did he do to deserve such rebellious and troublesome children?_

**xXx**

"—ki! Sasuki!"

The time-traveler blinked, raising her head to see her oldest brother—she was starting to get used to the title though she thought it unfitting for him—crouching before her, waving his hand in her face. She slapped his hand away with surprising force for a three-year-old but he didn't protest the stinging pain in his hand.

Madara's eyes gained a sorrowful look. "Do you hate me?"

_Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know. I can't tell_.

Sasuki scowled, frustrated at her easily swayed feelings. She used to have her heart set in stone and she hated it when whatever she thought was true, was proven wrong. Or, when her opinions were starting to change.

She used to hate Madara, true, since he was the one who had caused all the misery in her life—or did he? Madara merely hated the world, sought to change it for the better. Would a truly evil man care about what state the world was in? Would an evil person be this temperamental boy with a genuine heart who hated seeing his siblings getting hurt and wanted to protect them? Would an evil man change the whole world just for his little sibling?

Wasn't that what Madara wanted in the end? A world where _Izuna_ ("Believe it or not, Madara truly loved Izuna. I daresay that he loved his brother more than you love your brother—not that I'm undermining your bond or anything. I suppose no one should be surprised, Izuna was all he had left after all and when he died... Madara sort of lost it...") was _alive and there by his side?_ Where he was accepted and everything was better, no wars and no hate, just peace and life.

And, looking back on it carefully, the one who started the problem was the Nidaime who had boarded up the Uchihas in a district, had them closed off and labeled as law enforcers, but in truth, he wanted to keep the Uchiha Clan on a leash right? Hadn't Madara tried warning his clan but he went ignored?

That seemed to far-fetched even for the Nidaime (who was said to be an esteemed strategist and tactician, capable of predicting his enemies' moves with his great grasp of human psychology). Could he predict what humans would do in the future?

If she wanted to blame someone more closer, shouldn't it be Shimura Danzo and his fellow co-workers and the spineless Sandaime?

She seethed grimly.

There were too many people to blame for the demise of her clan—and she knew her clan wasn't entirely innocent either.

"Sasuki!" The little girl bristled angrily when her older brother shouted into her face but she glanced up anyway. She tensed, clasping Madara's tense hand and she knew that he could sense the presence of another too. Warily, the siblings scanned the area. Discreetly, out of Madara's sight, Sasuki activated her Sharingan and looked. She knew it wasn't as effective as a Byakugan when it came to scouting but she could make out enough.

Her eyebrow twitching in annoyance at how terribly the stranger was hidden (and he wasn't doing a good job at hiding his sniffles either), she approached the bushes where she could see him tense. She deactivated her Sharingan, pushing her head into the bushes, glaring at the corner of her eye at the sniffling boy.

She blinked.

He had dark hair and eyes which were currently glistening with tears. He sniffed, and Sasuki watched in disgust as he wiped away the snot dripping out of his nose. Who was this loser? He stared at her, lost, mumbling, "Who're you?"

Naturally, she didn't answer.

"Sasuki!" Light flooded in when Madara all but rip the bushes apart. Relief shone in his eyes, but it changed into one of wariness when he saw the stranger boy by his sister's side. He bristled protectively. "Who're you?" he demanded angrily, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder and pushing her away. "Get away from my sister." Then he cursed himself for letting it slip that Sasuki could be his weakness.

"I'm not going to hurt her," the brunette sniffed, wiping his face off the tear-tracks and it took all of Madara's effort to not feel sympathy for the sorry-looking pathetic loser; why else would he be crying? Actually, what sort of man would cry? What a wimp. "I was just curious to see someone else in my usual grieving spot."

"Who died?" Madara asked bluntly, uncaring of the boy's feelings.

"It's nothing like that! My—my brother's bullying me!" the dark haired boy wailed, flailing his arms about. "He keeps calling me names!"

"I can't empathize, I don't have an older brother who harasses me—"

"You got it wrong," the boy sniffled, wiping his tears away as best he could though more flowed. "It's my younger brother."

"Wow," said Madara, crouching by the boy's side, still wary but intrigued nonetheless—though he sincerely doubt this loser could do anything. "You really are a loser, to be pushed around by your little brother." Well, not like he was much different. Fortunately for him, no one here can blab that Norio often rebelled against him and had just not so long ago punched him. It was times like these, that he was thankful that Sasuki was a mute.

(He saw the other clan kids' little siblings blabbing to their parents about the faults of their older sibling. Thank goodness that Sasuki could not speak. And of course he wouldn't tell her this.)

The brunette buried his face in his arms and wailed even louder. "You're no different! You're also mean to me—Waah!"

"Stop that you idiot," Madara hissed, punching the boy's arm. "How embarrassing can you be? You're older than me and yet you're shedding tears? How can you call yourself a man?" When the other boy's shoulders continued shaking, he sighed, cheeks slightly pink as he turned away from his sister's watchful eyes. "Fine," he said at last, grudgingly adding the last part: "I'm sorry for calling you names." He said, sounding sincere.

"Aw, that's okay, I don't mind at all! Haha, water under the bridge, my friend!"

Sasuki's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, watching as the brunette bounced into a cheerful mood when he'd been so depressed not too long ago. Was he bipolar or what? The brunette spotted her, smiling an infectious grin (fortunately the Uchiha siblings were immune to this) as he ruffled her hair (why did everyone insisted on doing so?). She slapped his hand away, glaring as did Madara, wondering why he was so achingly familiar.

His personality did sort of resemble Naruto... the goofiness of the smile and attitude, excluding the depression (when Naruto had his mood-swings, it was from happy to anger, not depression, he was more of the venting type).

"Hey there, nice to meet you two!" The taller boy grabbed Madara's listless hand in an empty handshake; her older brother stared blankly at the lunatic, dropping his hand when the brunette moved onto Sasuki, pinching her cheeks which lacked baby fat as she hadn't grown up in a particularly prosperous clan (she didn't think the Uchiha Clan was so short on food). "My name's Hashirama, I like the forest and many things and what I dislike is the ongoing wars! I would use the word hate but Okaa-san says that hate is the special kind of love we give to things or people which sucked badly, and since I don't love wars in anyway, I use dislike -ttebane!"

Sasuki's jaw nearly dropped, as it was, she made a choking noise at the back of her throat.

Hashirama... as in Senju Hashirama?! This loser of a boy was the future Shodai?!

And why was he ending his sentences with that stupid verbal tic of Naruto's?

"Oh, the '-ttebane' sounds cool doesn't it? My little bro uses it too! Man, Naruto's weird and cute like your sister's here but—"

Sasuki's eyes nearly bugged. Naruto was the Shodai's brother? What was going on? Kami, she was confused, why was this loser—

"Stop, hold it!" Madara held his arms up in a cross, as if he could protect himself from Hashirama's bombarding statements. When the brunette stopped, looking at the siblings raptly, Madara edged backwards. "Hey, you, we don't even know you. Why are you talking to us like we're friends all of a sudden?"

"We're not?" The Senju (not like Madara knew but Sasuki wasn't about to expose him) sounded sad, his shoulders dropped in utter defeat and Sasuki wondered again how could he be the man he would grow up to be—the boys weren't looking as she walked around, looking at Hashirama in different angles, hoping to find a sliver of that man who was the founder of her village, so far she got no results. "Oh."

Madara bristled, looking guilty.

This was something Sasuki had learned recently, it made her look at Madara in a completely new light (not necessarily better). He was easily guilt-tripped into doing something, especially when his siblings were concerned. He was quite the pushover, but when it was Norio who had always challenged Madara, he was a little hard-headed but he still relented in the end. Always, without fail. It made her wonder how such a man became one of the greatest Uchiha to ever live.

Appearances could be deceiving, Sasuki learned and she found it to be true. Just look at Naruto and Hashirama. The former was loud and boisterous and dressed unlike a ninja, no one ever thought he could be successful or be a strong shinobi for the matter. The latter was a mood-swinging depressing loser and yet he became the strongest shinobi of his generation. Madara also appeared as a cold-hearted bastard, but as a child... she found that he was nicer than the Uchiha kids she'd played with back in her own time.

"We're not friends," Madara was saying, he hesitated before adding. "Yet."

"Wooohoo!"

"Shut up, stupid! I said _yet_, what makes you thinks we're friends all of a sudden?!"

"Well, that sounds like a yes to me," Hashirama grinned cheerily, his eyes twinkling brightly. "Oh, yeah, I haven't caught your names."

"Names can't be caught."

"Figuratively."

"Oh, wow, you actually know the meaning of the words?" Sarcasm colored Madara's speech but Hashirama didn't seem to notice.

The brunette looked thoughtful before he shook his head. "No, I don't, but it seems like an appropriate response. Anyways, your names?"

Madara stared at his Senju counterpart as if he'd grown another head. Evidently, the Uchiha boy had yet to meet someone who admitted their wrong-doing easily. Sasuki was mildly surprised too, even Naruto wasn't this quick to admit defeat. He swallowed, considering his options before he grudgingly said, "Madara." He gestured to Sasuki who sat, wrapping her arms around her knees and looking sorely miserable in the cold and hungry. "She's Sasuki. Don't bother talking to her, she won't answer."

"Why?"

"She's mute."

Hashirama's curious look faded to that of genuine sympathy and sadness, as if he seriously understood how a mute would feel. "Oh," he said emphatically. "I'm sorry."

Sasuki bristled, looking not unlike Madara when she glared. "We don't need your pity," said Madara stiffly, turning the other cheek. An awkward and tense silence descended upon the children. One mute (or so they thought), one lacking the experience to socialize or make the situation better, and the other lacked a topic to chat about and he was rarely every speechless.

Hashirama shuffled his feet, about to say something when a loud and familiar voice shouted his name. His eyes widened, feeling his brothers' presence in the forest. Madara eyed him cautiously, curiously. He hesitated, offering the siblings a shaky grin. "Hey, let's meet some other time here, okay?"

"Who said—"

"Bye!" he winked as he dashed back into the forest. "See ya later!"

Madara stared after his back, stomping his foot stubbornly. "Ugh, what makes him think—" He trailed off, breaking into cusses as he pulled his sister in the other direction, down the small hillside, following the river that flowed close to their clan grounds. He didn't have to worry about getting lost if he stuck close to the stream, though not too close, just in case Sasuki would fall in. And if she returned soaking wet, terrified, his reputation would just sink lower.

While Madara thought about his encounter with the strange brunette, Sasuki schemed.

**-full circle-**

"Aniki!" yelled Naruto loudly. "Hashi-nii! O Hashirama—OW!" Wincing, and rubbing the welt forming on his head, Naruto blinked teary eyes up at his older brother. Tobirama glowered at him, cocking a fist and his eyes made the message clear: shut up. Naruto pouted. "If we don't call him, how are we going to find him?"

"I'm a chakra sensor," Tobirama said, sounding proud even though he kept his emotions hidden. "I can sense him. And if we made noise, shouting and the sort, we'll just be attracting enemies. What sort of accomplished ninja makes so much noise?"

Naruto considered his brother's question seriously, mulling it over, silent as he did so—which was probably why Tobirama posed the question in the first place: to keep his brother's mouth shut. Naruto knitted his eyebrows as he considered the question, seeing as he was the Hokage despite being the loudmouth ninja, he didn't think being a loud ninja was all that bad. It surprised the enemy and made them underestimate him, which worked to his advantage. And, more often than not, he could off the enemy and was so powerful that stealth was not needed at all to defeat an opponent.

So, no, he didn't think much about subtlety. He nodded seriously, deciding to voice his opinions very loudly, to his brother.

Tobirama elbowed him. "Shut up," the older boy hissed meanly as he knelt, placing a finger on the ground, closing his eyes and concentrating, silently hoping that Naruto wouldn't break his concentration (he was still new at this) when his little brother squealed.

His vein throbbed but before he could lose it, something smacked him upside the head.

He growled, whirling around to face his assailant. Spotting a tree instead, he grumbled, he already knew who it was. He glanced up and true to his instincts, his useless older brother was up there on a branch, grinning. The brunette didn't look like someone who had cried his eyes out for the past hour since his argument with his brother.

"Yo," the oldest boy said, lifting a hand in a wave. Trying to act cool, Tobirama surmised but he thought his brother still looked stupid. "Miss me?"

"Well, Tobi-nii was very insistent in looking for you so I suppose, yea—"

"Let's go, Naruto," snapped Tobirama heatedly, grabbing his little brother's yukata and dragging him away from the brunette up the tree. "Mother will be worried," he said through gritted teeth as he heard Hashirama's chortle. "we've been out long enough."

"Aw, Tobi, you're worried about me?" Tobirama's eyebrow twitched when his older brother materialized before him, blinking doe eyes at him (his older brother wasn't very tall) which made the silver-haired boy itching to sock the older. "Just admit it."

"Shut up! Get lost, who's looking for who? I bet you're lost and hungry and just came looking for us! We were just taking a walk. No one cares where you've been, stupid brother!"

Hashirama scowled. Why was his little brother so damned stubborn in admitting his feelings?

Tobirama scowled. Why couldn't his older brother grow up for once?

Naruto scowled. Why was he always involved in their petty arguments?

It was Tobirama who broke eye contact, deciding to be the mature one and quit first before his brother try something funny—and it was cold, he had no wish to freeze in the weather. He tugged on Naruto's arm. "Come on," he said. "Let's leave this idiot here to freeze in the snow."

"Hey!"

Naruto grinned, but it dropped when he noticed that his oldest brother wasn't following. He craned his neck to where Hashirama was standing, dejected, shoulders drooped. The brown-eyed boy raised his eyes to meet the blue-eyed boy's, sensing the younger's gaze on him.

_He doesn't mean it_, Naruto mouthed his words precisely, and when Hashirama grinned widely, winking, he knew his older brother caught it. When his oldest brother jogged merrily to his side, he had the sudden thought that, despite the wars, it wasn't all that bad.

If peace was too far-fetched, than an armistice would suffice.

**-full circle-**

* * *

**A/N:** The ending wasn't as good as I'd wished it to be. This -_hopefully_- counts as character development. I'd seen stories where the authors depict Tajima and Butsuma as assholes and I don't wish that. I do hope that the meeting with Hashirama isn't too OOC - and if anyone thinks he's being bashed, please note that I'm writing from children's pov, and when they hold a grudge, their train of thoughts are a little insulting to the person they're irked at (I know because I was like that).

**ANSWER TO REVIEWS:**

**Guest: **Ah, I killed off Madara's mother because... it seems more likely for a boy to be unhinged when he lacks a place to go to for comfort. Madara is the oldest, had to take care of his younger brothers (and he failed anyway) so he couldn't possibly confide in them and burden them. His father, judging from the era the progenitor grew up in, I doubt he would be the comfort type. I'm still developing his character and will be trying to bring out his good qualities instead of the asshole-side.

**Universal-Public-Cockblocker:** First things first, interesting name there (lol). Yes, Naruto will have Mokuton—like he will be in most of my stories, so one should expect Mokuton!Naruto stories from me. Amplified chakra nature? Not yet, just maybe though, I don't want him to be overpowered. Yes, I will try my best to make him special and not idiotic as canon (doesn't mean he's not adorable character who can grow though). I just mentioned them, implied that they might be able to join, but I'm still plotting.

The "golden hair" thing is something I'd be rectifying since Naruto's meant to have silvery-blonde hair here instead. Their names are the same; this is called fate... or, maybe, I'll write a quick interlude of the mothers' thoughts. Support?

**Deinokos:** Oh, glad to see someone else shares my view. I have a hard time picturing him to care about anyone at all with how he acts in the anime and manga (except the time when he's a kid) and I worry that it'd be OOC if he cared about someone. But there's the exception to Izuna (which I think is love stemmed from the fact that his little brother was the only one who helped him and didn't shun him).

**historia: **Your name has a nice tinge to it XD and thanks. Hope ya review this chapter too.

**KARASU25:** Glad someone liked the disabled part. Did'ja notice the start of the chapter? I was stumped until I read your review and decided to implement the bonding bit. Thanks, do review this chapter too!

**To the rest of the reviewers:** _Thanks, keep reviewing, I'd really appreciate__ it!_

By the way, I still need a beta reader.

Also, I have a new Naruto story up, -Sleeping Butterfly- check it out and **R&R**!

**-full circle-**


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